«City on the Wave»: how Mykolaiv revives and promotes sailing and yachting

Mykolaiv has always been a city of water and shipbuilding. Its history is closely linked to ships and sailing: since the 19th century, large vessels have been built here, and the yacht club has become a centre of city culture and traditions. Today, the city focuses on the development of private shipping and yachting, from children's training to the restoration of berthing facilities and slips for boats and yachts.

For more information on how Mykolaiv is restoring and promoting sailing, developing private shipping and yachting, see the article NikVesti.

Mykolaiv and water: history and new opportunities

Mykolaiv has enormous potential thanks to its water resources, says Valerii Vetrov, a representative of the expert and public council at the city executive committee. He emphasises that the development of small vessels and yachting opens up new opportunities for the city: creating conditions for safe launching, organising service and maintenance of boats and yachts, and developing children's sports.

He compared the situation to Detroit in the US, which once had large automotive plants, and after their decline, the city faced economic problems. Valerii Vetrov noted that Mykolaiv was in a similar situation, but unlike Detroit, the city preserved its water resources, which became the basis for new projects.

«Mykolaiv has always been associated with large ships. Due to its convenient water location, there have historically been ships, large factories, and a shipbuilding university here — people studied, worked, and became experts in their field. Unfortunately, this page of history has fallen into oblivion. The history of the city is in many ways reminiscent of Detroit: there were once three large automotive plants there — General Motors, Chrysler, Ford. And the entire population was connected to the automotive industry. Eventually, they also fell into decline for other reasons. We were in the same situation: most people worked at the factories, and we found ourselves in a similar situation,» says Valerii Vetrov.

That's why he came up with the idea of developing small-scale shipping back in 2013 after a trip to Florida, where he saw how the yachting and small boat repair industry operates.

«He saw the situation of our marina base, how yachting and children's yachting were developing. Then I brought together all the representatives of the water industry, and we discussed for several years how to implement this concept,» said Valerii Vetrov.

Concept for the development of rivers and yachting

In 2019, members of the city council supported the Concept for the Development of Rivers and Small Craft Shipping for 2019-2030, prepared in cooperation with experts. The document defines the strategic directions for the development of river infrastructure, yachting tourism and small-scale shipping in the city.

«What are the main provisions of the concept? First of all, it is to create conditions for the development of our yachting industry. Yachting is our business card of the city. And we need to create conditions for people to come to us. We don't have a sea, but yachting and quiet water have always been our speciality, and we have always been leaders in this area. We have the oldest yacht club,» said Valerii Vetrov.

Therefore, the main goal of the concept is to create conditions for the development of personal yachting and sailing. Particular attention is paid to the service and maintenance of vessels: owners of boats and yachts should come to the city to repair and maintain their vehicles using the services of local craftsmen.

«The next idea of the concept is to develop a recreation and entertainment infrastructure. Before the war, people could come and take a boat ride on the lower embankment in the centre of Mykolaiv. In particular, companies such as «Artel» and «River Tramways» started organising boat rides for the public, and this attracted many people, both local and from other cities. Thanks to this, the recreation and entertainment infrastructure began to develop rapidly. If not for the war, the development would have continued even more actively. This is another area that should be used,» says Valerii Vetrov.

Valerii Vetrov paid special attention to water transport in the city. He believes that Mykolaiv is surrounded by water, and this should be used to organise routes between city districts. For example, people from Korabelnyi district or Namyv could get to the city centre by water without traffic jams and get positive emotions from water transport. We also plan to use our boat co-operatives and stations to develop individual water transport accessible to many city residents. The experience of the Estonian city of Narva shows how it is possible to use the opportunity of water recreation to hold water festivals and attract tourists from different countries.

«The city is completely surrounded by water. Even in Europe, where there are fewer rivers, they are actively used for transportation. We have almost never had this in Ukraine. The idea is that people from all districts and neighbourhoods should be able to move around not only by bus or car, but also by water. For example, residents of Namyv have to go through the whole city and the bridge to get to their dachas on the opposite bank, even though the whole trip takes a few minutes by water. It is planned to create water routes that will complement land transport: it will take only 7 minutes by speedboat from the lower Naberezhna to Namyv. In the future, according to the plan, bridges such as the Aliaudskyi bridge will be raised to provide full passage. This will allow residents of Raketna Roshcha and Solyany to use water routes as conveniently as trolleybuses. This is another area of urban infrastructure development,» says Valerii Vetrov.

Another area of the concept is to ensure that people have access to their own boats and yachts. Valerii Vetrov explained that this is similar to the development of cycling: people should be able to buy water transport and use it in their everyday lives. To do this, it is necessary to restore the water infrastructure and create the right conditions for berthing and servicing vessels.

« Just as we create conditions for cycling in our cycling concept, we need to ensure that people can buy boats or yachts. To do this, we need to restore and develop the water infrastructure. For many years, it has been in decline: some of the bases were transferred to children's sports schools by mistake, and coaches and athletes were not involved in large-scale water transport. So this is another important component of the future development concept of the city. Today we are working to divide the parking bases in accordance with the law and invest in the development of water infrastructure. The goal is to create the most comfortable conditions for yachts and boats to call and service in our city,» he said.

According to a representative of the water industry and the expert and public council at the city executive committee, yachtsmen spend about four months a year on the water, while the rest of the time they are servicing their vehicles. Because of the danger of using the sea in Odesa after the war due to incomplete demining, the city sees an opportunity to attract boat and yacht owners to Mykolaiv. This will allow water transport to stay and be serviced in the city, creating jobs and stimulating infrastructure development.

«Our strategy is to make the most of our water-related competitive advantages for the development of the city. This is the focus of both the water industry and the expert and public council at the city executive committee. Despite the war, we are making significant efforts to make water accessible to everyone. An order on open navigation has been in place for a year now. Of course, there are certain restrictions, but in general, you can see that tram drivers are transporting people and children are training. Previously, they had to go somewhere in Bulgaria and spend the night in tents on Tilihul, but now they are developing here at home. Fortunately, the year has passed without any problems, and we are making full use of the water resources,» adds Valerii Vetrov.

Infrastructure of the future: slips, marinas, «Aquaport»

Active movement on the water has a symbolic meaning for Mykolaiv: yachts on the water are perceived as a sign of the city's revival and moral support for people in difficult times.

At the same time, the city has a problem with slips — special concrete descents for boats and yachts. Previously, there were no such facilities in the city, and access to water was limited. Now, it is planned to install such slips in different districts of Mykolaiv, which will allow easy launching of vessels. They will be equipped at the expense of the city budget.

«Previously, there were none in Mykolaiv: people had to go to the other end of the city to launch a boat. The first slip has already been designed near «Velam», and the second is being considered on the Namyv, in coordination with the environmental services. These are concrete slabs with a platform for transport, where you can leave your car and launch the boat into the water,» says Valerii Vetrov.

Another large-scale project is «Aquaport» on the lower embankment. According to Valerii Vetrov, it involves the construction of two marinas: for deep-water vessels and for shallow-water boats. The project will provide services for various types of water transport and create a water and entertainment infrastructure that is not available in other Ukrainian cities.

Valerii Vetrov noted that due to the war and the outflow of labour, there is a shortage of specialists for ship maintenance — engine repair, painting, and basic technical operations. Therefore, cooperation with educational institutions and water companies is being organised to train new specialists. At the same time, we are working with the legislature to ensure that regulations do not create additional barriers to the development of the water industry.

Separation of powers in Mykolaiv's yachting industry: a new utility company

In Mykolaiv, last year, a project to create a municipal enterprise «Mykolaiv Municipal Yacht Club» was submitted to the city council for consideration. Its task was to maintain mooring facilities, repair and service small vessels, as well as provide yacht rental and passenger transportation services.

The project envisaged a clear separation of functions between the existing children's and youth sports schools «Atlant» and «Olymp», which remained responsible for coaching and training children, and the newly created company, which was to take care of berth maintenance, parking, launching and lifting of vessels, repair and maintenance, as well as providing rental and passenger transportation.

According to Valerii Vetrov, a representative of the expert and public council at the city executive committee, the situation was previously non-transparent and inefficient. The parking bases used to be maintained by factories, but after their closure, no one was involved in their maintenance, and the functions were transferred to children's sports schools.

« The law prohibits schools from providing paid services for the basing and maintenance of water transport, so they were in an unnatural role. The problem arose because the bases used to be maintained by factories, and when they stopped working, no one was in charge of their maintenance. These bases — yacht clubs, water stations and marinas — were home to children's sports schools. Yachtsmen gradually brought their children and developed these schools. However, decision-makers in the government did not understand the situation and shifted the responsibility to the sports schools. Due to their specific nature, they could not do this. The law on inland waterway transport clearly states that the provision of services and the basing of water transport is a paid activity that sports schools are not legally authorised to engage in. To put it simply: it's like a kindergarten being responsible for car parking — its functions are completely different. The same thing happened here,» he said.

The new company was to provide a full range of services for the small fleet, including organising regattas and cruising, servicing berths, basing vessels, repairing and maintaining them, and creating conditions for safe launching and returning.

As the experience of other cities shows, the lack of modern water infrastructure has led to the decline of the small-scale shipping industry. According to the Shipping Register, the number of registered watercraft in Mykolaiv has dropped from 5,000 in 1990 to 300 today.

He also noted that on the territory of the schools «Atlant» and «Olymp» there are mooring facilities in critical condition that need repair and urgent maintenance.

Last year, the deputies did not support it, but Valerii Vetrov confirmed that this year the documents are being prepared again for resubmission to the session.

«Now the company «Timeset» is being split up: it will service yachts, boats and dinghies, while children's schools will focus on teaching children. They are located on the same territory but perform different functions. One legal entity is responsible for training, the other for providing parking spaces and services for water transport,» explained Valerii Vetrov.

Sailing as the DNA of Mykolaiv

There are two sailing schools for children and youth in the city — the regional yacht club and the sports school «Atlant». They prepare children and youth for participation in national and international competitions and continue the city's maritime traditions. Yurii Zhuravliov, director of the children's and youth sailing school, is convinced: «Sailing is part of the DNA of Mykolaiv. It is not just a sport, it is a culture, a tradition and even a philosophy of life».

For more than a century, Mykolaiv athletes have been opening the season on 2 May. Each regatta has its own history and symbolism: Since 1991, the Makarov Cup has been held on the Independence Day of Ukraine, and the environmental regatta is timed to coincide with the Constitution Day. Every year, the yacht club summarises the results of the season and awards the best athletes based on the results of the competition.

This year, the all-Ukrainian regatta «Sails of Mykolaiv Region» has already taken place. The sports season is scheduled to close in mid-October, and the cruising races are scheduled to end a week later. At the same time, in 2025, the school has already managed to hold three Ukrainian championships.

«In addition, we hold many cruising regattas: The Makarov Cup, the «Sails of Rotary regatta» — this year it was held for the twelfth time. Each is timed to a specific holiday: the environmental regatta is held on the Constitution Day of Ukraine, the Makarov Cup — on Independence Day,» says Yurii Zhuravliov.

There are also more informal traditions. For example, a new boat is always «doused with» champagne. Or the annual concert «Songs of the Old Yacht Club», which brings together several generations of yachtsmen.

«Before the war, we used to hold annual evenings of old yacht club songs. Sailing is not separated from the community. It's not just about training or championships, it's about the community that lives for it,» says Yurii Zhuravliov.

Today, almost 200 children are trained at the Mykolaiv sailing school. Training is free — parents do not pay for training or access to boats.

«Sailing lessons are free for children. Sailing is a royal sport in the world, and with more funding it would become even more popular in our city. Development requires investment in sports equipment: boats, sails, and rigging. If we want the city and the region to represent athletes at the Olympic Games, children need to be trained from an early age. After the war started, many children and IDPs returned. There used to be 280 pupils in the school, now statistically there will be more than 200,» says Yurii Zhuravliov.

However, problems with the material base remain. There are not enough boats: sometimes several children sit on one boat at once, while each athlete must train separately for quality training. The last time Olympic boats were purchased was back in 2004.

Nevertheless, the school is raising champions of Ukraine. In the classes «Optimist», «Cadet», ILCA-4, Mykolaiv students are regularly among the strongest.

«Results are only achieved when a child has the opportunity to train systematically. We try to create these conditions even in difficult times,» explains Yurii Zhuravliov.

The challenge of war and the restoration of the yacht club

Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 was also a blow to sailing. At first, training was completely banned for security reasons. Children who had gone abroad trained there, and those who stayed behind had to wait. The building of the yacht club was damaged by shelling: the boathouse was destroyed and windows were smashed.

«After the shelling, many windows in the school's historic buildings were damaged, so we replaced them with regard to their architectural value. We also restored the destroyed metal boathouse near the hotel: the new boathouse allows us to store boats safely. We also installed lighting on the bridges and the main building, repaired the power grid after flooding, and made boat launches. We planned to spend 4.2 hryvnias million on the repairs,» Heorhii Reshetilov, the first deputy head of the Mykolaiv Regional Athletic Association, told NikVesti.

But in 2023, training resumed in the region, and later in the waters of Mykolaiv after the SES cleared the area of mines.

«In 2024, there were pauses due to drone attacks or exercises, but at the end of 2024, the water was reopened. In 2025, we are training in peace, and thanks to this, the athletes' results have improved,» says Yurii Zhuravliov.

Thanks to international partners, the school also received a new Mercedes minibus for transporting children, as well as a small Hyundai truck for cleaning the territory and maintenance work. The benefactors donated a boat for judging and a yacht for training, and the NGO «Nova Khvylia» provided buoys for the championships.

According to Heorhii Reshetilov, the school is systematically provided with funding: the costs of the championships, medals, certificates, sportswear for the best athletes are covered, and generators and a 200-square-metre tent to accommodate participants during the competition are also provided. Plans for the near future include the restoration of summer changing rooms for children and a coaching room.

«The region helps with funding: accommodation, food, fuel for the delivery of the material base. The Department of Youth and Sports finances the regional team, so the school can plan more trips and training camps,» adds Yurii Zhuravliov, director of the «Regional Yacht Club».

The school principal adds that there are no problems with the mooring infrastructure in general, but it still needs to be gradually updated.

«At the end of the year, we always look at what funds are left and buy equipment. Last year, we bought three sails, and this year I want to buy something too,» he said.

The coaches of the children's and youth sports school are actively recruiting new students: they go to schools, make announcements, post banners, and also maintain the club's Facebook page, which has about three thousand followers. It is there that they publish advertisements and announcements of competitions. While in 2023-2024 there was a shortage of children and we had to make additional recruitments, call parents and friends, the situation is now radically different — there are more children than needed and the coaches are fully loaded.

The school currently has four specialists, two of whom are over 55, and the rest are younger, 35-40 years old.

«In 2022, there was a complete ban on training. No one was training. Children who went abroad performed and showed results there. Our school did not actually work, but the coaches were paid. We were restoring the material base, putting the premises in order,» says Yurii Zhuravliov.

Most state-owned yachts are stored on the club's premises, although there are also private yachts. State vessels are maintained on their own. According to the calendar, they must participate in at least three competitions. Experienced captains form crews and invite young people to join them to pass on their knowledge. It is a kind of tradition to bring up the next generation of athletes. Before the full-scale war, even sailing trips were organised on cruising yachts.

According to Yurii Zhuravliov, today it often happens that a person comes to the club who wants to try yachting. They are introduced to a captain who is short of crew members. The newcomer helps to maintain the vessel — buys paint, bolts, glue — and in return participates in regattas. After a year, the apprentice is able to steer the sails on his own.

«The person is introduced to a captain who is short of crew. The newcomer helps to maintain the yacht — buy paint, bolts, glue — and goes to regattas. In a year, this apprentice can manage the sails on his own, and he knows where the jib is, where the mainsail is, where the mast is. I have an example: one man who started as a beginner became a professional tanker in a year,» said Yurii Zhuravliov.

«A City on the Wave» as a symbol

Sailing in Mykolaiv is part of the city's cultural identity. Ships used to be built here, and the yachting tradition grew out of that. According to Yurii Zhuravliov, the Black Sea Shipyard also played a major role: many of its employees were involved in yachting, and the plant bought vessels that can still be seen on the water today. Similar support was also provided by the Mykolaiv Shipyard.

According to the school's director, in order to make sailing closer to the people of Mykolaiv, it needs to be made more accessible. This requires special training boats for beginners.

«These boats are slower, more comfortable, and suitable for getting people interested. Of course, they are not free. Those who want to learn will come. But we need a regional programme for adult beginners. Because if you put a person on a sports boat right away, it will be wet, uncomfortable, fast, abrupt, and they won't understand anything. It would be more accessible on a training boat,» adds Yurii Zhuravliov.

In Mykolaiv, sailing remains important not only as a sporting discipline but also as an important part of the city community. The restoration of infrastructure, the development of children's schools, and the emergence of new projects are gradually returning the city to its water traditions. Despite the challenging conditions, yachting is once again becoming accessible to children and adults, opening up prospects for tourism and the local economy.

Alina Kvitko, NikVesti